Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Interesting to hear a blend of 80s production and the guitar-heavy folk sound. It does get repetitive very quickly (2.5-3)
Fine guitar player
boaesque again 3.5
would casually listen to
Pleasant suprise. Easy to listen to. Her music is very stripped down here, which makes it feel intimate. Like her voice and songwrting. Marlene on the wall and small blue thing are my favorite tracks.
overall not bad but the lyrics are something you'd make up when you're 10 and trying to make a song. instrumentally it slaps i'm not going to lie
I prefer the stuff she made in the nineties, but for 1985 this feels very ahead of its time and still sounds fresh. The tracklist is a bit weak, but it still hits.
с кем-то я её путаю. в моей голове она поёт примерно такую классику как стамблин ин, а оказалось что это практически разговорный альбом + много средневекового кора (или глубоких метафор, но за метафорами не ко мне). не увлекла
This album isn’t really my vibe but I appreciate the stellar story telling. “Small Blue Thing” was my favorite song.
I felt like I should know who this is from the name and ohh it’s the Tom’s Diner singer. Well. I listened to this
This was ok, but not really my cup of tea. I liked the guitars, but something about this felt a bit too sparse for me
3.5 rounded down
At this coffee house, all the songs taste the same.
80s fretless bass warning! These are fine songs and Vega's voice makes them feel real. The instrumentation is a bit much in my opinion. These sound like busker's songs and the arrangement of the music counteracts that.
This is the debut album from Suzanne Vega, so it’s good as a debut. The lyrics are fine and the music is basic but acceptable. I would describe this album as a musical poetry reading.
Suzanne Vega did 'Tom's Diner', so I want to give her a chance, but this album is missing one important thing: Tom's Diner. :( I do not like that the tracks are listed in two different fonts. Anyway, this is kind of like a proto-Jewel or Sarah McLachlan. More poetry than bop. Maybe she even inspired SNL's Jane Wickline.
5.5/10
Musically really fun and catchy, but her vocals have a weird slant to them. They don't quite flow. Id listen again
No Tom's Diner???
Store-brand Joni Mitchell (non-derogatory)
Joni Mitchellesque pop folk ballads with no skips and some real highlights such as Marlene on the wall, Small blue thing, and Undertow.
Not to be too dismissive but this was just some “Women in Song” uninteresting folk music. Wasn’t bad but didn’t grab me
Impressive debut. Easy to see why she was on Lilith Fair: significant influence on '90s and '00s artists.
not bad, nice sound
This woman's voice sounds both absolutely wonderful and expressionless. She signs well and have a very smooth and peaceful voice, but it feels incredibly devoid of emotion, and it is mainly due to she being very static and the music lacking chord progressions or tense sounds. However, this album still sounds incredibly clean and it even manages to create a little comforting atmosphere thanks to the great production. Also, this sounds way more like a 90's record than a 80's, which adds some points to the final score. In addition, the project may sound a bit emotionless when it comes to its sound, but the lyrics are at least somewhat interesting with some nice storytelling. So yes, despite of being a bit dull, it sounds so pleasant that I can't say it is bad.
Marlene on the wall is a perfect timeless pop song. The rest is passable, interesting lyrically but in search of a melody or some direction
A bit too verbose.
i woulda torn this up if i were a teenager in the 80s
3.5/5
Sweet singer songwriter that thankfully wasn't influenced by the Smiths.
A bit slow for me, but a very nice soundtrack to a sunny, freezing winter day. Second half has some interesting songs: queens, soldiers, knights?
It's not bad, never heard of her before. But also delivery and voice and lyrically it's really a bit boring to me. Probably just about average. "Small blue thing" stood out to me
It’s perfectly pleasant, but Marlena on the Wall reminds me of the theme tune to 80s British Loch Ness Monster-based cartoon The Family Ness. 3 thistle-whistles out of 5, Elspeth!
I liked the album, the singer has an amazing voice 3/5
i've listened to Solitude Standing before, but not this yet Cracking - 3/5 Freeze Tag - 4/5 Marlene on the Wall - 4/5 Small Blue Thing - 4/5 Straight Lines - 3/5 Undertow - 3/5 Some Journey - 4/5 The Queen and the Soldier - 3/5 Knight Moves - 4/5 Neighborhood Girls - 4/5 Average score: 3.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ i think i prefer her later work. most of the tracks here didn't really do much for me sadly
Suzanne Vega has a lovely voice, I am looking forward to listening to her self titled debut album. I enjoyed it, the songs are catchy and pleasant to listen to. There is some lovely guitat work throughout the album and it flows really well with variety throughout. This is a great album. She has a great NYC sound and is very similar to the Caves and Cohen type of music. Favourite track: Everything was a pleasant listen but I particularly enjoyed Freeze Tag Least favourite track: Everything on the album is worth a listen. Album artwork: Standard album cover
Never quite rises above pleasant background music for me. It's arranged quite well. Yes it's sparse but the clarity of her voice and the spare instrumentation that is present, is appreciated. I was worried at first because opening song Cracking has the whole talk-singing thing that grates me, but thankfully she doesn't do that on the other songs. I loved the story on The Queen and the Soldier. Highlights: Small Blue Thing, The Queen and the Soldier
A name I know, but not much else. She had a great voice and it turns out I have heard a few of these songs. Some better than others. A nice change from the norm of this list. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? A few Owned: No: 33/131 (25%) Will I get? No
It's very straightforward fare, this, but it's nice and I think she's a good lyricist. Overall, it doesn't leave too much on you (there's nothing on here that has the power of Luka, for instance), but it's very pleasant to have on in the background.
Приятная музыка и голос хороший, но желания слушать не вызывает
Непоганий фолк сінгер-сонграйтер альбом зі звуком 80х. Аранжування досить мінімалістичні, але практично в кожній пісні зʼявлється інструмент, який їх трохи більше розкриває. Тексти є хороші, є трохи ту мач. Голос приємний і подача експресивна більше личить, ніж спокійна Приємне враження, але бажання зберегти альбом не виникло.
3.5 Гарний альбом, мені подобається музика Сюзанни, те як вона будує вокальні гармонії. Деякі пісні звучать занадто наївно, але то таке.
Introspective music like this sadly doesn’t seem to exist these days in the mainstream
Enya and Bob Dylan make an album. Unsurprisingly not great results but not totally unredeemable 2.5*
I know she was big in the 80s but if she came out in 1994 she would make jewel look like a joke in terms of success. I want to hear a mid 90s produced version of this album.
Fint, satt ikke ved første gjennomlytting, kanskje neste gang!
very good
Fuckass average singer songwriter music 3/5
Nice voice and music, but all songs kinda sound the same
Joni Mitchell, that you?
Romance songs, chill music with some nice guitar.
Ok
Don't know what to expect here. Cracking - 5/10. Not bad. A little bit of coffeehouse poetry vibe, that I find slightly unpleasant, but the music is decent. When she sings, it's not bad. Freeze Tag - 6/10. Simple instrumentation, basic chord structure, no-frills music. I like this better than Cracking. Marlene On The Wall - 7/10. Again, simple, no-frills music. I like it. Small Blue Thing - 6/10. Nice and simple. Straight Lines - 8/10. Nothing left to take away. Undertow - 6/10. Simple and clean. Some Journey - 6/10. Clean and simple. The Queen And The Soldier - 8/10. Very well done. Knight Moves - 6/10. Clean and simple. Neighborhood Girl - 6/10. More complex and layered than the other tracks on the album. Good, but not exactly what I was expecting from the rest of the album. Overall Rating - 3.20/5 (6.40/10). A solid album. Not sure I'd listen to it again, but I don't regret listening to it.
H: I was excited about this one as I knew some Suzanne Vega songs going into this album. To me this was a little bit of a let down. The songs seemed more spoken word than singing. Overall a little underwhelming. 5/10 H: Straight Lines Z: pretty voice, but very matter of fact lyricism and delivery. Bit of a lull at times but enjoyable to listen to. It’s easy to feel the importance of her songwriting though! 5.5/10 Z fav song: Marlene on the Wall
plucky, quaint, good variety in song structure and well produced. The spoken word singing is a little basic. An album ahead of it's time.
I expected another nice but boring. This was not. I liked a fair bit, but it didn't quite stick as much as I thought it might. I think with more chance this would be a 4. Some nice folky motifs and a subtle hit of 80s in some of the instrumentation. But a high 3.
A bit of a mix bag, thought some songs were a little weak but others showed her potential, overall an easy listen.
Yeah. Not really my thing.
A very middle of the road but nice singer songwriter album. Songs that are nice on a first listen but I doubt id ever properly enjoy again
I love it when they put talented women artists on the list; it brings some needed diversity. It's still an average singer-songwriter album, though, even if I'm quite fond of her voice.
I know there's a Suzanne Vega song I was a real fan of when I was a kid. It wasn't on this record, though. The songwriting and music are alright. I can hear why some people enjoy it and champion her. Almost everything on the record is better than mid (although the bass slaps and pops on the last song do grate on my nerves), and there are some high points that deserve more praise from listeners who've spent more than one time through with it. The album cover is a problem. There's something so hopeless about the art direction that I feel bad for Vega — while her music isn't my thing, she didn't deserve this typographic treatment. Not the worst design crime to pass through this list, but a watered-down expression of 80s graphic design tropes paired with poor choices that may have actually hurt her commercially in the days when people flipped through albums in the stacks.
The flat delivery and storytelling are still a winning combination, but while its solid listening, it never soars
This is a pleasant listen. Marlene on the Wall is a very good song. Neighborhood Girls is solid. The rest ranges from pretty good to fine to meh
6/10 Favourite: The Queen and the Soldier Least Favourite: Straight Lines
This was pretty good. The thing that irked me (most apparent on track #1) was the “talking” of the lyrics. Also on the last track.
Singer songwriter can be really hit or miss for me. This was a miss.
its aight
I liked her lyrics and the vibes on this rainy day!
3.5
Gotta say, didn't care much for it at the start, but it won me over by the end.
3,5
I don't think a re-listen would change my opinion; better examples of women folk singers from that era, though it's likely a matter of taste.
Very pretty. An easy listen.
Got a lot of folk vibes from this one. The lyrics are probably a big focus for reviews, but honestly, I did not find them THAT special. Got also a feeling of storytelling and that that is the way she works her songs, but it did not fit my vibe and taste. Not bad, as a "music album", but also not memorable and did not leave wanting to hear more. I knew some of her classic as most well known songs, none from this album. Just kinda bland and dry, to my ears.
Nice album that still holds ups (gasp! 40 years later?!) Pre "Luca" and las heavy. Enjoyed.
Not bad
Nothing really stands out but at least it sounds pleasant most of the time. If I listened the album in a quieter environment I’d appreciate it more. The speaking in the first song was a bit strange, but imagine if it was a Japanese anime song, would it bring in more zen vibes and would I feel more relaxed? Vocal wise not good either.. she is just slightly off pitch but this makes me feel very uneasy. Overall I do think the album has some potential but it was not completed in its best shape.
Really wasn't a fan of the spoken-word intro to this album, but it slowly grew on me as the album went on. Really missed an opportunity to enjoy this one in some gloomy weather this past weekend, I think it would have added to the experience. But I'll be happy to give this a three and maybe get some more of her work down the road.
This was a very pretty album. Not quite beautiful, but still enjoyable. Nothing really stood out to me, but I was flowing along nicely with it all afternoon. I was even thinking about giving it a 4 until a Fleetwood Mac song auto played right as the album was done, and I was reminded just how much better it was.
Gostei do estilo musical da cantora mais não curti muito o álbum, entretanto o álbum dela LIVE IN NEW YORK 1985 e muito bom!
Can tell where Tom’s Diner came from. Just fine. Couldn’t think of when I would want to listen to this.
Decent, chill folk album. Overall, it's okay, nothing exceptionally interesting. Neighborhood Girls had more energy than the rest of the album, and I wouldn't have minded if the rest of the album had a bit more of that energy.
Sleepy sad girl music but in a way, aren’t we all sleep sad girls??
Putting the iffy 80s production to one side, this was really quite enjoyable. Its subtlety invites and rewards repeated listening. You can also hear where subsequent female artists maybe took some of their inspiration from.
A tricky one as it is of a style that I find is not very immediate and therefore it didn’t make much of an impression on me after one listen. I think it is one from the list that I will try and listen to again as I think I might enjoy it more.
No frills which was probably a large departure from everything else going on at that time, so in a way it was probably quite a brave thing to do. That said, there wasn’t enough to keep my interest for the duration, where a bit more subtle percussion or layering might have helped. With the sparse instrumentation, I didn’t find her voice strong enough to carry the rest of the music.
Suzanne Vega was an album that did what it set out to do rather well. It is another one of those more relaxing folk albums kinda like stuff by Cat Stevens or Joni Mitchell and i always do enjoy them as they have some pretty relaxing vibes. This album was no exception to that rule as it shared a lot of the strengths it has with albums like those. The songs here are relaxing and have some pretty good stories within them. It is not perfect though as some of the songs can become quite samey to each other and i was not a fan of some of the vocals in Cracking but those were some small gripes i had with it. I still enjoyed this album a decent bit. Best Song: Neighborhood Girls Worst Song: Cracking
I like the mood and the production on this one, but it could've done with some more variety. It's quite easy to mistake the intros of several of these songs for one another, and with, like, many Stevie Nicks tunes, too. Just a moody, arpeggiated acoustic guitar part every time. I only really know Suzanne Vega from the Tom's Diner remix (that absolutely slaps), but I'm really intrigued by her. Something of an 80s Joni Mitchell, maybe. The sound she's got going on this record seems like the blueprint for, like, a dozen melancholy female acoustic pop songs that would come like a decade later. Maybe like "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin or "Stay" by Lisa Loeb. "What I Am" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians was only a few years later, but certainly sounds influenced by Suzanne. Pretty cool.
Suzanne Vega by Suzanne Vega. Suzanne Vega.
3 Stars (8/15)
Cathartic
This album is what autumn feels like.
This was OK. I like her voice.
Never heard it before today. It’s ok. Only know her for her supper famous song that came out a few years later.
Not my fave overall, but great chill background vibes. Would give another listen.
I had never heard of Suzanne Vega before, but her debut album released in 1985 and she sounds a lot like the solo women artists in the nineties. So many albums that helped spur new genres or directions are not that good--I reference in particular the many not-good proto-punk albums that are on this list. Vega doesn't fall into that category! Her folk rock music sounds great, which allows her be a contemporary of the nineties musicians. Vega's biggest strength is her lyrics. Singer-songwriter types always have to be strong lyricists, and debut albums must be impactful, especially for women. I found a lot of playful aspects in her lyrics, and her lyrics went in unexpected directions to boot.
This album is SO 90s female singer-songwriter coded (or as I lovingly and incessantly call it, "Lilith Fair music"). It's actually quite jarring how this song is harkening a big movement in music about 5 years ahead of time. Suzanne Vega was no doubt a trailblazer among artists in this particular space. Anyway, that said, it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this. Not only does it fit all the aforementioned Lilith Fair-isms that I love, but it's poetic and a bit whimsical and mysterious, as well. When this type of music hits me in a certain mood, it's a damn vibe. Today I was in that mood.
mezzo spaccato. Alcune canzoni belle da riascoltare ma altre delle lagne
Enjoyable, but didnt connect with me in any meaningful way.
Who?
Beautiful album. Modern folk. Catchy music and lyrics.
Nice enough
Better than most of its genre. It’s worth a listen.
Too soft, just not in the mood for this right now.
Lovely stuff tbf, Cohen-esque lyrics I mean really what is not to like? Fave song: Marlene On The Wall Rating: 3.9/4.0
It’s not bad, I don’t hate it (in fact some bits I quite like), I just think it could be doing more.
We thought this album was very enjoyable. We enjoyed it.
Good
Thoughts before listening: Folky, singer-songwriter music from the 80s I believe. I know that Suzanne Vega was a big deal, but I don't know her music. I think her popular song is "Tom's Diner" but that doesn't seem to be on here. Review: So I guess this is Suzanne's debut album and the hits mostly came on her second one. There was one hit (which I did not recognize prior to listening) called "Marlene on the Wall", and thats probably the best song here. For the most part these are slow, moody songs with primarily just acoustic guitar and Suzanne's voice. There's certainly nothing offensive here, but I'm not really loving it either. I'd say this is a 3-star album.
Interesting, I’ve only ever heard her later stuff.
No real highlight here. But a nice album.
really beautiful song writing throughout, it just didn’t truly stick out to me personally
Cute voice. Good soft music. The last song was unnecessary
enjoyable
Heard most of it before
I was 12 when Suzanne Vega's album was released in 1985, and at the time, its depth was beyond my understanding. I first noticed her music with the song "Luka" during high school. Now, over 40 years later, I have a newfound appreciation for songwriters and their craft. Vega's work reflects a strong folk and poetic influence characteristic of that era. Artists like Natalie Merchant paved the way for emotional and meaningful lyrical analogies, which Vega masterfully captures in her writing. I also recognize the influences from the latter part of the decade, reminiscent of Tracy Chapman, Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians, and Shawn Colvin, to name a few. I’ve reached a level of musical maturity where I can respect a piece of work even if it doesn’t align with my personal taste. This album falls into that category. I particularly enjoy the rhythm of "Straight Lines" and the guitar work in "Knight Moves."
all of the songs are good. She sounds great. Sounds like what the cool kids listened to in New York in the 80s while they talked about poetry. Made me realize I’m not cool, and I’ll never be cool
Her later albums are better. Some of the tunes on this give a poetry that has a guitar more than a song. I think it was recorded on the cheap as well. You can hear and feel the talent on it. She tells a story really well. I would start with her second album if you want to listen to her. This has glimmers of what is to come with her as an artist but like a lot of artist with their first album is kind of rough.
I've heard of this artist not sure if I have listened to much of her. A little too mellow for me. Yeah this is alright. It's alright. I respect what she's doing. Her music. Just not for me.
Some good songs but I'm not a fan of the production on this album, it sounds too polished and sterile. I think it's a solid enough debut but not an album I'd consider to be a classic hearing it for the first time in 2025. Maybe if I had heard it 40 years ago I'd feel differently about it.
1985. This was pretty enjoyable smooth sounding album with good baselines. Vega has a nice voice.
Enjoyed but not one I’d revisit
kelpo kamaa
Light and fresh, like a cool spring breeze on a sunny day in May. Love Suzanne Vega's voice even if the music is not really my thing
“Hipster” is the word that comes to mind - with all the positive and negative connotations of that. It’s poetry, it’s arty, it’s smug, it’s pretentious, it’s silly. I don’t quite know where I think this fits in this spectrum. Probably because of the association with “Tom’s Diner,” I imagine Suzanne sitting in a cafe, wearing a beret, smoking a cigarette and watching the people coming and going. Which is kind of appealing. But she also reminds me of Phoebe from Friends singing “Smelly Cat”. So I don’t know if it’s good or not. I quite like it but also it’s annoying.
Just fine and dandy, really. No huge emotional resonance here.
It was fine - she has a great voice and great lyrics but they all sounded a bit the same to me.
I like Suzanne Vega, but I did not really dig this one. She is a great singer songwriter and it shows on this one. Unfortunately I think there are other albums that could have been chosen here.
Snuck a 3. Decent voice, enjoyed how stripped back it was but really quite boring
Pretty good, great voice and beautiful lyrics. Just not that exciting/special
Nice in its genre. But what is there to say ?
Not a big Suzanne Vega fan, but this was nice background music
Not as bad as some would have you believe (JOHN)
An interesting and eclectic album with some very verbose story telling. Suzanne Vega is a brilliant song writer and poet, but this is definitely an album you need to be in a specific mood for, I feel.
I was pleasantly surprised by this. Kind of a stepping stone between Joni and Alanis. Not as good as either but decent and with some strong songwriting and guitar chops. I found myself wanting to listen to it more and more closely, but the deeper I dug, the less rewarding I found it on repeat listens. Still good but not great, in my eyes.
Listened Before? N A pretty decent debut folk album. Good storytelling. Not bad but I'm not sure why it's a must hear. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Marlene On The Wall
It was ok. There were some quite nice songs sprinkled in there but I wasn’t too crazy about most of it. Just some chill acoustic singer songwriter stuff.
afslappað kassagítarspopp. gerir ekkert fyrir mig en er fínt eins langt og það nær.
Not bad but not very interesting
A nice change up with how stripped back it is. Plus it's nice to have a sub 40 minute album. Feel refreshed after listening. Got more out of the first half than back half Rating: 3.3
Odd phrasing, ultimately decent
This is a hard one to rate. I Have a great appreciation for Susan! Vega. She's clearly very talented songwriter. But it's just not a style that I like. I would never choose to put this album on and listen to it. But for people who like the style, it's probably, four or five star quality.
It was an alright album no tracks really stood out to me though
Alright singer singer writer (I guess that's the genre). I didn't dislike the sound, but after it was over, didn't remember a thing about it
Hejira lite, pretty good but I'm not bowled over by it on my first 2 listens.
Clearly influential. Beautiful guitar. Interesting cadence and pitch of voice. Probably couldn’t listen to it on repeat.
Very average sounding, like well produced coffee shop music. I gues her later albums are more interesting.
Some of the songs were a touch odd, but overall it was okay to me.
Cracking 3 Freeze Tag 3.1 Marlene on the Wall 3.3 Small Blue Thing 3 Straight Lines 3.4 Undertow 3.5 Some Journey 3.4 The Queen and the Soldier 3.3 Knight Moves 3.3 Neighborhood Girls 3.4 Score: 3.27
2.8 2x nice voice
She’s got some great lyrics and her voice is easy to listen to. The Queen and the Soldier is the highlight track for me. I’m not a big singer-songwriter fan, but this one was okay.
A good album. Not something I'm going to run out and buy, but I'd have no problem listening to it again. The only major negative is the vocal delivery on the opening track. An odd choice, but that's ok I guess.
Suzanne Vega basically tells stories in her songs, almost like spoken word but with more lively background music too. She does sing a little as well and it is pleasant although this just wasn’t fully my jam. It did get a little monotonous after a while.
Tässä kuuluu ajan naisartistien runollis-tarinallinen tyylisuunta, jota myöhemmin edustaa Alanis Morrisette ja vaikka Sinead O’Connor, joka lopulta sekosi muutenkin.
Feels very bland. I like the lyrics but the sound is comparable to plain greek yogurt.
solid album, but nothing special. 2,5 stars actually
It's a very calm/soothing sound, with acoustic guitar/bass, and with vocals that are half-singing half-talking. It's like the quintessential coffee shop record. The popular song is "Marlene on the Wall", and yeah it's probably the best one. The album is a solid 3 and I could see it rise to a 4 with more listens.
Susanne Vega had three inescapable hits in the late 80s, but none are on this album. Which makes it's inclusion perplexing, especially if it's her only album. Still this had a number of tracks that I liked enough I'd call this album a strong 3.
Like Kate Bush, this really should be squarely up my alley. I can hear shades of Ani DiFranco, S, maybe even Cat Power. But it's just dated enough, with lyrics that veer between opaque and simplistic, that it just never connected - despite multiple listens.
I don't typically fill my cup with this particular type of tea, but the overall strength of storytelling here won me over by the last sip.
A little slow Introspective and moody
Decent
Well I like Suzanne Vega. Unfortunately none of the songs I like are on this album. She’s got a nice voice quality and tone tho!
Very wordy and doesn’t always spot the landing. When it does Marlene, the Queen it’s A1 but when it doesn’t.. or so. 3.5 Stars.
Not bad, but nothing that really wowed me.
Not my bag style wise but pretty good
Ну че то уныленько и однообразно
Ich gebe es zu: Susanne Vega = Tom's Diner (+Remix von DNA) und Luka - mehr fiel mir zu dem Namen nicht ein. Zu Tode genudelt in den End-80ern. Ok, jetzt kenne ich ihr erstes Album. Ich hatte schlimmstes Sing-Songwriter-Geklampfe befürchtet aber die sympathische Stimme und ins Ohr gehende Akkordfolgen haben mich besänftigt :)
This was a very pleasant record to listen to. Nothing great by way of melodies or voice but it felt a little ahead of its time and feels like a current release. That has to account for something. No stand out tracks so I will give it a three but this could have been a 3.5. I will also note I find her voice very soothing and relaxing. Kind of music I can mediate or zone out to.
Sounds like if an indie pop artist like Dora Jar went acoustic and lost all enthusiasm. The lyrics are well written, but there aren’t any climaxes or even much variation in the energy of the songs so I was a bit underwhelmed.
Vega definitely has strong female Leonard Cohen vibes. A great singer/songerwriter. Deserves more listens. 7.0/10
Inoffensive, mildly entertaining in spots - I think she's released some better stuff.
A pleasant enough, airy folk-rock album from the mid-80s. It wasn't anything special but a nice listen after a stressful work day.
Suzanne Vega – Suzanne Vega Album Review Suzanne Vega’s self-titled debut is a quiet, introspective album that leans heavily on gentle acoustic guitar, soft vocals, and a poetic lyrical style that’s easy to admire, even if it’s not the most exciting listen. Her songwriting is thoughtful and often subtle, with tracks like Marlene on the Wall and Small Blue Thing standing out as highlights that hint at the more polished and emotionally resonant work she’d go on to make. That said, much of the album drifts by in a low, steady hum—pleasant, but rarely gripping. The sparse production suits her voice, but there’s a sameness to the tone and pace that makes it hard to stay fully engaged. It’s not bad by any means, but it feels more like a solid first draft than a fully-formed artistic statement.
Good
# Album Name: Suzanne Vega # Artist: Suzanne Vega # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: SZ has a nice voice. Other than that the album was pretty bland. It was just an OK listen. Neither here or there. I definitely didnt hate it but i did not enjoy it. # Top Tunes: None that stuck out # Would I listen to it again? Dont think so
not my favorite, but not my least favorite. suzanne vega has a nice voice and i think she is a pretty alright songwriter, but the album really did not leave a big impression on me. there's nothing bad here, but there's nothing that was very remarkable to me. pleasant, but only so. yeah, not totally my thing.
An interesting pick for someone who flies under the radar in pop music terms and the author(s) could easily have picked anything that included her few hits. This album is a class pick that shines the light on Vega as a natural inheritor of the crown from other female singer songwriters like Baez and Mitchell. 3.5/5
Inoffensive background Americana. Good thing she had a few hits after this to sustain a career.
Pleasant and forgettable is probably a fair summation of the album. I couldn't help but compare this to the roughly contemporaneous Nanci Griffiths album, which is far superior. but it does have a handful of very nice songs, with a vocal that speaks to me - for which it lands on a very respectable three rating.
Suzanne Vega’s debut has that classic singer-songwriter sound, with well-written, thoughtful songs at its core. The production feels a little sloppy at times, but the strength of the songwriting carries the album through. Clearly she's very talented, and had an influence on some of the 90's signer songwriters. Unfortunately, this didn't really resonate with me.
lady does forgettable Cohen impression - this was more enjoyable when she went more pop
I liked the opening 3 tracks, "Marlene on the wall" probably being my favourite (no actually, "Small Blue Thing"). The whole thing with it's jazzy, off-kilter rhythm and spoken-word lyrics is fun! I'd imagine Fiona Apple was inspired by this album and/or Suzanne Vega's music. I have to say though after the first half of the album I wasn't paying much attention on the first listen and fell asleep the second. These are tight deadlines so I can't make further comment. Overall though I thought it was an enjoyable listen, will take home a few, but didn't wow me.
Nice.
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Can't say I have many thoughts about this one. Favorite Songs: Some Journey / The Queen and the Soldier
Ms. Vega does little to step out of the shadows of her inspirations. I enjoyed the conversationalnism of it all, but I'm not particularly dazzled by any particular component. As an aside The Queen and the Soldier kinda gave Kacey Musgrave Rating: 5.9 Favorite Song: Straight Lines/Neighborhood Girls
It was fine. Nothing memorable.
It says Marlene but she says Marlena
First listen. Ok I guess.
No familiar songs on this album, but I enjoyed it. She has a nice voice.
In an age where autotune and computers make music sound like perfection, it’s refreshing to hear a recording where the vocals are so bare and exposed. I wish I enjoyed the songs more but I find them all very boring.
Not bad but nothing to really write home about
I'm back again after a short break! The first thing is that this album is relaxing to listen to. It's also not too long, to the point of being boring. Best of all, "Self Titled" isn't dated and cheesy. "Neighbourhood Girls" is a good conclusion to a nice album. 3 stars for "Self Titled".
This album was alright. It felt way too quick. The instrumentals were really good, but some of the vocal choices were pretty meh. Overall, I can appreciate this album, it's just not for me. Favorite Song: Neighborhood Girls Least Favorite: Cracking
Susanne Vega is another artist that I really respect, but just don't connect with their music.
Well, to me, Suzanne Vega is "Luka", and that's it. I've heard a few other songs, and nothing has appealed to me at ALL. I appreciate that she has an artistic ground in which she herself dwells: she's not trying to be someone else. She has her own style. I was pleasantly surprised to find her singing through most of this record, rather than speaking through the verse like she does on some of her songs, including a couple of tracks here ("Cracking", "Neighborhood Girls"). Actually found myself enjoying this more than I thought I might, other than the spoken songs which I hated. Sonically the '80s production only gets schmaltzy and in the way a couple of times, but mostly features restrained and understated chorused electric and acoustic guitars, pianos/synth pads and Vega's solo voice. Her lyrics read more like poems than songs, and it makes your heart hurt a little bit that singer-songwriters that major labels sign today barely even seem to try to connect with that muse, allow for mystery, are always dumbed-down. "Queen and the Soldier" tells an interesting story that doesn't go how you think it will, and the queen's motivations remain mysterious. Some of these songs seem to mine the same territory as Leonard Cohen, although Vega's take on relationships doesn't seem to have the gravitas of Cohen's. I come away from this appreciating Vega more than just "Luka", and more than being "that New York girl that talks her way through her songs". "Undertow" and "Queen..." were my favorites.
Polish French toast
Мило, но не примечательно, как мне показалось
Can't be bothered tbh
Chill
You wouldn’t believe Len’s reaction when I told him I was listening to this album. He was furious. So angry. Really took me back, I didn’t think he knew Suzanne and if he did I couldn’t imagine what she’d done to get that sort of reaction? Anyway, ended up he didn’t know her. He thought I was talking about Lou’s wife, Sue Bega! And we all know what happened there!…..3.3
A nice listen but probably wouldn't listen again
Some of it was really good, but a bit inconsistent
This is good and I enjoyed it, but perhaps a bit over produced (I mean it's mid-eighties, I'm surprised they restrained themselves this much with all of those synths and drum machines around). I always felt like she had a Leonard Cohen vibe to her writing and I've always liked it, but this is good not great.
Strong songs, vocals, and guitar playing are unfortunately given a too slick sheen of production which brings down an otherwise superb set. Strong debut.
I had never listened to Suzanne Vega before but for some reason I thought she was a punk rocker. Boy was I surprised! I like a lot of it, but it has a grumpy intellectual vibe running though it that I have a particular aversion to these days.
She's a storyteller. Pretty voice.
This album is very folksy but despite that I really enjoyed a few songs on the album. There’s plenty of songs that didn’t really make an impression but I really enjoyed the songs that did make an impression.
Solid debut from a good singer/songwriter. I enjoyed this for the most part. A couple of songs stood out: Straight Lines Neighborhood Girls The rest is pretty standard coffee house/college folk music. 3/5
I really like Suzanne Vega but I was surprised that this is the album of hers on the list. Solitude Standing is a much better album in my opinion. I did like this album but it felt like someone who wasn't at that peak and a bit basic in places.
Singer songwriter album with a really cool knight and castle motif. Thought the idea was super solid and interesting, but felt like it fell flat for more songs than it worked. Unfortunate. I really wanted more out of the album. Standouts: Cracking, Marlene On The Wall, The Queen And The Soldier, and Knight Moves.
Groundbreaking then, run of the mill now
Folky, guitar, unique voice. Gentle. Interesting delivery, almost spoken. Pretyy and pleasant.
I feel like I should have liked this more than I did. I like her voice. The songs are melodic and quiet. But for some reason it just didn't grab me.
ganz cute
This was a very nice set of folk songs.
Some bits that are interesting, some bits that sound like 90s adult alternative. In terms of American pop history, there should probably be an Ani DiFranco album on the list. Since there isn't I'm rounding this one up for vague similarity. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
A delicate effort from a first timer, the eponymous album from Suzanne Vega does little to offend and a lot to lull the listener with its gentle compositions. Don't let the try-hard quirkiness of the album cover distract you, this is something worth investing in. Favorites: Cracking, Marlene on the Wall, Small Blue Thing, Straight Lines, Undertow, The Queen and the Soldier.
First song awful but 3 after that
Didn't enjoy it.
Hadn't heard of Suzanne, but we had fun. Some Stevie Nicks magic here.
Pleasant and chill, as expected. Reminded me of Wendy Woo, or I guess it's the other way around considering when each person is/was singing.
Decent album nothing stellar but reasonable listening
Smooth and pleasurable and light-touch intriguing. SV seemed early on to be a worthy success to Joni Mitchell. Perhaps because this is tame and inoffensive in the extreme (however thoughtful), there’s just not much to get too, too excited about here. One suspects one should listen to the lyrics more closely, but one's not convinced one would find the characters all that interesting or sympathetic. Rickie Lee Jones is a much better artist.
Nice voice, catchy songs that are distinct enough from each other. Like a female Leonard Cohen who can sing.
A fine singer-songwriter record. I didn’t dislike it but it didn’t move me. She’s a strong writer, so I look forward to hearing more of her work in the future.
Singer-songwriter DNA that explores 1985 timbres and tonalities but stays true to that original sound. It's a really impressive execution of the idea and I really enjoyed these songs and this production. "Marlene On The Wall" and "Cracking" are really strong tracks. Sometimes the stereotypical folky "here's a whole 12 verse story set to a song" formula kind of bores me, and I feel it here like "The Queen And The Soldier". Maybe it's blasphemous for me to say that but it's just kind of bland to me after hearing the concept so many times. I never really hear the end of one of these songs and say "wow I can't wait to hear that again". Nice record, cool album art too. I love how it shows the track lists on the cover.
cracking- 5 freeze tag- 5 marlene on the wall- 5 small blue thing- 4 straight lines- 5 undertow- 4 some journey- 5 the queen and the soldier- 3. huh. knight moves- 5 neighborhood girls- 5 i was locked into drawing but this was mid
I had never heard Suzanne Vega, with the exception of “Luka”. I really liked this album, but would have like it more if not for her penchant for speaking some of the lyrics instead of singing them. To me, it’s such a waste as I really do enjoy her lovely singing voice. This kept me from giving the album four stars. I will listen to it again, however.
It's ok - inoffensive 80s singer-songwriter folk music which dare I say is better than alot of the stuff from the late 60s. 5/10.
I liked this one more than I thought I would. I had heard Tom’s Diner, but nothing else by her. The sing-talking style reminded me of Leonard Cohen quite a bit. Probably won’t go back to this much save for a few songs. Favorites were Marlene On The Wall and Knight Moves.
liked songs: Freeze Tag, Small Blue Thing, Straight Lines The first song set my expectations low, but I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album. I actually liked the stripped-back approach to the songs, and I really liked the guitar tones. 3.5
Calming
Atmospheric
Singer song writer is normally my kryptonite but this passed me by without the usual annoyance. Grand
not bad, decent female vocalist. Probably need to listen to the lyrics in detail to really appreciate
Started off pretty nice, but ended up being a lot of the same.
Overall, the album was okay. There were a few beautifully written tracks that stood out, such as "The Queen and The Soldier," "Freeze Tag," and "Straight Lines." The rest didn't evoke much feeling from me. Most likely won't put this album in my regular rotation.
It sounds like something that would play in a Starbucks twenty years ago but I kinda like it anyway. I think there's a part of me that would've likely been an earthy poetry slam person that attended Lilith Fair in 1998 so that part of me doesn't mind it at all. I don't know if it's very good or essential per se, at times it sounds like a mix of Taylor Swift and Barenaked Ladies? Which aren't very complimentary comparisons? But I don't know, it's kinda cool at times. I had fun listening to it. I might come back to some tracks it made me want to buy rustic Christmas decorations and like buy a bullet journal or something.
Nice little pop album
Позитивный фолк-рок из Америки. 5\10
Some interesting songs and good background listening music but nothing really stuck out. Glad I found another new artist though!
Mixed with good and mediocre
I was worried this was going to sound like Bjork for some reason. But no, it was just mellow girl rock. It was OK.
3 out of 5. Nice melodies.
I like this sound a lot generally so I’m into this even if not much of the album stood out to me overall.
Not the most exciting female singer songwriter album i heard on here, but still a pretty listen
I actually quite like her soft vocal delivery here, although it can feel a bit bland on some tracks. That rare blandness combined with the skilled, yet boring instrumentation hold the album back from being as good as it could be.
Listened to this suuuuuper early in the morning, enjoyable but liked the last song in particular. 3.5
Je vais reprendre l'opinion d'un gars dans les commentaires: ça sonne comme de la musique de «fille qui trippe un peu trop sur les chevaux». Pour rebondir là-dessus, cet album complimenterait très bien un film pour pré-adolescente qui raconterait «L'été où j'ai dût m'acclimater à ma nouvelle vie à la campagne après y avoir déménager avec mon père qui viens de se séparer/traverse une période de deuil, et où j'y ai appris à vivre en communion avec la nature, me permettant de traverser cette période houleuse de ma vie en acceptant ma nouvelle condition rurale»
Very chilled. Very folksy, I liked it
First time I’ve heard more than just their singles. I’ll probably play some more records.
Pretty chill vibes
5/10 Prvo sam procitao opis i mislim si, a idi u kurac, stvarno nemam volje slusat kako netko trkelja po gitari i pjevusi sad. Pogeldam, vidim da je album malo iznad 30 minuta, reko ajd, probat cu. Krene album, hejtam zešće, ali nakon jedno 15 sekundi sam si pomislio pa dobro, nije tako strasno, malo je zanimljivo. Evo me na kraju albuma, nisam prebacio niti jednu pjesmu, nisam hejtao nista. Osim sto nema bubnjeva, sto je vjerojatno i dobra odluka, aranzman je dosta bogat. Ali moram priznati da ovo stvarno nije moja šalica čaja i ne vidim kad bi si ovako nesto pustio ili isao dublje u preslusavanje ovoga. bit ce trojka jer nije da je lose, ali nije ni da je dobro. Nije da nije, al' nije ni da nije.
Failed to leave a lasting impression
Sweet and forgettable.
Good debut album. Other than her hits I know none of her other music. That’s all folks.
Better than I expected. Not really my thing, but still interesting.
Complex storylines which are fine. I wish she sang more and spoke less. Solid pick.
Favorite Track: Small Blue Thing
It feels like 90s alt-angst stuff, so impressive that this is a mid 80s album. Clearly very inspiring. Not enough tonal shift across the whole album, but it is very much one thing done very well.
3.5
Uber cool. This music doesn't really move me at all, but decent enough
No Tom's Diner??? Look, this isn't exactly outside the realm of what I enjoy. This is a precursor to Fiona Apple and Liz Phair, hell I'll even admit to enjoying Tori Amos and Ani Difanco... It's also unfortunately the precursor to Lisa Loeb and Sarah McLachlan. The singing is nothing to write home about and neither are the lyrics, which have that poetry-forced-to-fit-a-melody feel to them rather than being a fully-formed song. Paul Simon does the same thing, but here it sounds very Lilith Fair. I'm glad I stuck it out past the first few tracks, though. It really seems to gel toward side 2.
Descent folk tunes. Not bad; not great.
Musically sounds nice but I was not paying attention to the lyrics
I liked this album, although not quite as much as I expected. I thought I was going to LOVE this album! Awesome debut album.
Beautiful songwriting beautiful music, but i dont think i would ever listen to this again. Feels like some emo countryside irish folk music.
I don't know what I thought Suzanne Vega was like but it wasn't this. I liked it though
molto gradevole come sottofondo mentre lavoro
Didn’t think I knew any songs by Suzanne Vega, but turns out I did know her top hit “Tom’s Diner”… anyway, I enjoyed this album some, but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea either. Favorite song by far was ‘Marlene on the Wall’, none of the others stood out to me. Average album, 3/5
Erityisesti levyn alusta pidin! Oma ääni, vetää kuuntelemaan tarinat. Liian rauhallinen b-puoli, mutta se on ymmärrettävää, kun levy on lyhyt.
Hänen folk-esteettinen suhteensa kauneuteen on liian mutkaton, mutta tärkeintä on, että hän ymmärtää melodioiden päälle. Undertow ja Night Moves - kuka uskaltaa olla tykkäämättä?
Este primer larga duración de Suzanne Vega lanzado en 1985 anticipaba el éxito que conseguiría dos años después con Solitude Standing. En él propone volver a un estilo de composición literario, ingenioso e intelectual, propio del los antiguos trovadores y alejado del sentimentalismo hacia el que se habían deslizado la mayoría de los cantautores. Sus fuentes de inspiración son las metáforas poéticas de Leonard Cohen y el estilo vocal de Janis Ian. El tema central del álbum es "Small Blue Thing" en el que Vega nos habla de lo insignificantes que somos, viéndose a sí misma como "una canica o un ojo cristal" perdido en un bolsillo y "girando en tu mano". También me gustan "Marlene on the Wall", metáfora del amor no correspondido, "Undertow", sobre la naturaleza destructiva de las relaciones basadas en el poder y el control, y el tema que cierra el disco, "Neighborhood Girls", una reflexión en clave feminista sobre el anhelo, la pérdida y el paso del tiempo.
mournful melodies with some lilting melodies that transition well between spoken word and soft melodies. Complex chord progressions are often unexpected but convey the mood well.
Decent album. Definitely one I would have to be in the mood for. Liked her more uptempo songs. 2.5/5 Might listen again
A very specific mood. Lovely to listen to. I do feel like the lyrics are a little pretentious and aren't quite as deep as she maybe thinks they are. Which is forgivable for a young artist on her debut album, but this list shouldn't be grading on a curve.
The songwriting is great, but something about Suzanne’s voice + the base guitar gets old after a few songs. Which is I know is rich coming from a Taylor Swift enjoyer.
I like Suzanne Vega just fine. She's a great songwriter and performer. But...why this album? Either "Solitude Standing" or "99.9 F" would have been much better choices. Once again, the author shows a bias towards the "first" album by an artist over the "best" one.
Poetic singer
oo
3+
Good but not as good as you might think
Well aware of Suzanne Vega but never took much notice of her releases apart from the big hits she has had. One of them, Marlene On The Wall is on here and it is a very strong composition. Giving it a listen I was very pleasantly surprised and concluded that I have missed a good album so another win from following this list. As an admirer of Laura Marling and Sandy Denny etc it’s no surprise that this album appeals to me. Now on the lookout to purchase this album. 3/5 16/7/24
OK
Sounds like a lot of single female artists. Nice and safe nothing risky
Suzanne Vega is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, originally released in 1985. I was fearing the worst 80s pop imaginable when I saw this album, but it wasn't bad at all. This record really recalls the massively popular Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter craze of the decade prior. Vega shows shades of Joni Mitchell and is reminiscent of English folk groups such as Pentangle. Although her songwriting isn't the strongest, most of these songs are pretty enjoyable. She somehow dodged most of the 80s production clichés that plagued 90% of releases at this time. Pretty cool folky record. Probably would've done numbers in the early 70s.
Lovely
Not the Suzanne Vega album I would have choosen.
Vega has an interesting style that more than spoken word but not quite traditional singing. Decent storytelling.
Good debut, where the biggest power lies in the story -telling and a little less in the music.
I don't really get anything out of this one. It's very simple which is pretty pleasant but not particularly moving for me. By the looks of some of these reviews I need to look at the lyrics more, so maybe I'll do that eventually. For now I think a 3 is fair.
This was a chill album.
Beautiful and soft melodies. Her voice is as delicate as the touch of a silk sheet. All of this added to the beautiful harmonies that invite you to sit, rest your back and enjoy the winds of a Wednesday afternoon.
Nice album and lyrics
I’ve seen Suzanne Vega live but actually kind of forgot about her until this came up. She’s really good, but she’s got better albums than this.
Pretty voice and guitar. Sweet and gentle vibe.
"Suzanne Vega" is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. The music is in a folk style with string back arrangements and has been attributed to ushering in a new era of singer-songwriters. The album was recorded in NYC and produced by Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye (famed guitarist of the Patti Smith Group). Commercially, the album reached #11 in the UK and #91 in the US and, critically, received mostly favorable reviews. A melodic strumming guitar opens the album with "Cracking." Actually, that's just about all these songs. A synth background with Vega talking and then singing. She's afraid of being frozen in a situation. Her first single "Marlene on the Wall" adds an idiosyncratic drum beat. Vega singing fast. An electric guitar solo and a jazzy outro. She has a poster of Marlene Dietrich watching as she brings through various men. Vega brings a strong voice in her second single "Small Blue Thing." More melodic. Someone makes her feel very small and she's turning in his hand. "Undertow" is an emotional song where I think Vega is talking about anorexia. A noticeable drums and bass. Some of her best lyrics are in "The Queen and the Soldier" and "Knight Moves." The main character is a queen in both and, in one, the queen ends up killing the soldier for insubordination (I think a reference to maturity) and in the other the pawn flips the table and turns the queen into the pawn. Suzanne Vega has a nice voice and is emotional in spots. Her lyrics are mostly very clever. The music is fairly stark with an acoustic and electric guitar with minimal accompaniment (piano, synth, drums, bass). There's very nice production. This is an enjoyable album. Solid. I don't know if this album motivates me to listen to more Suzanne Vega but I wouldn't hesitate to do so.
- Normally I don't like the slower singer-songwriter stuff but this was really good - Marlene on the Wall was incredible - Great storytelling
- started off like a female Leonard Cohen but got better - kinda in the Fiona apple female singer/songwriter vibe